Stepping into the
dark can be daunting,
but it’s easier than
you think
Take your first
nightscape
Experienced nightscape photographers seek out ultra-dark places
away from civilisation and only work under moonless skies. However,
there is no need to wait for such a privileged situation to get started.
For now, your back garden will do nicely, as the two most important
things you need to learn are the camera settings required and how
to operate your camera in total darkness.
Nightscape photography is the art of collecting limited light, and
like any photography it’s about balancing aperture (how much light
reaches the image sensor), ISO (the light sensitivity of the imaging
sensor) and shutter speed/exposure time (how long the image
sensor is exposed to light). First, switch off all the lights at the back
of your house; if there’s even a tiny light, your camera will find it
during a long exposure. With your camera on a tripod, switch to
MF (manual focus) on your lens and turn the focus dial to infinity
(the ∞ symbol). In Manual mode on your camera, switch the colour
temperature to tungsten and set the aperture to as wide open as
the lens goes, maybe f/4.5 on a kit lens or f/2.8 on a wide-anglelens. Set the ISO to 800, line up a shot that includes some of the
night sky, and open the shutter. Your choice of lens will limit how
long you can have the shutter open before stars begin to noticeably
blur (after all, Earth is rotating at around 1,600kph). A 24mm lens
can be open for around 20 seconds, and anything wider up to 25
seconds. Too dark? Increase the ISO to 1600 or 3200. Now too
bright? Reduce the exposure time to 20 seconds.
Experiment, but before you do too much you need to check the
focus because the infinity point on a lens isn’t always accurate. On
the camera’s LCD, zoom in on a star in one of your photos and
check how sharp it is. Experiment with the focus dial, and a few
laborious test shots later you should have it (mark it on your lens
with a sticker so you can go straight back to it next time).
With all that done you can concentrate on what’s really important;
composition. Stars alone will not produce an eye-catching
photograph, and the ‘rule of thirds’ applies; always put something
interesting in the foreground, ideally around ten metres away.INTERVALOMETER
An intervalometer
attaches to a camera and
controls how many shots
are taken, how often, and
for how long. It effectively
makes your camera
completely autonomous,
which is handy when
taking multiple long-
exposure shots.2
REMOTE SHUTTER
RELEASE CABLE
Any movement during a
long exposure introduces
blur, and that includes the
vibrations from depressing
the shutter button. So set a
shutter delay of ten seconds,
or use a wired remote
shutter release cable to keep
your camera perfectly still.LARGE-CAPACITY
SD CARD
Always shoot in RAW.
RAW image files contain
minimally processed data
from the image sensor.
However, they are also much
larger in size, so a larger SD
card is helpful, especially for
star trails, meteor showers
and long trips.10 STEPS TO AWESOME ASTRO SHOTS
Steppingintothe
darkcanbedaunting,
butit’seasierthan
youthink
Take your first
nightscape
Experiencednightscapephotographersseekoutultra-darkplaces
awayfromcivilisationandonlyworkundermoonlessskies.However,
thereisnoneedtowaitforsucha privilegedsituationtogetstarted.
Fornow,yourbackgardenwilldonicely,asthetwomostimportant
thingsyouneedtolearnarethecamerasettingsrequiredandhow
tooperateyourcameraintotaldarkness.
Nightscapephotographyistheartofcollectinglimitedlight,and
likeanyphotographyit’saboutbalancingaperture(howmuchlight
reachestheimagesensor),ISO(thelightsensitivityoftheimaging
sensor)andshutterspeed/exposuretime(howlongtheimage
sensorisexposedtolight).First,switchoffallthelightsattheback
ofyourhouse;if there’sevena tinylight,yourcamerawillfindit
duringa longexposure.Withyourcameraona tripod,switchto
MF(manualfocus)onyourlensandturnthefocusdialtoinfinity
(the∞symbol).InManualmodeonyourcamera,switchthecolour
temperaturetotungstenandsettheaperturetoaswideopenas
thelensgoes,maybef/4.5ona kitlensorf/2.8ona wide-anglelens.SettheISOto800,lineupa shotthatincludessomeofthe
nightsky,andopentheshutter.Yourchoiceoflenswilllimithow
longyoucanhavetheshutteropenbeforestarsbegintonoticeably
blur(afterall,Earthisrotatingataround1,600kph).A 24mmlens
canbeopenforaround 20 seconds,andanythingwiderupto 25
seconds.Toodark?IncreasetheISOto 1600 or3200.Nowtoo
bright?Reducetheexposuretimeto 20 seconds.
Experiment,butbeforeyoudotoomuchyouneedtocheckthe
focusbecausetheinfinitypointona lensisn’talwaysaccurate.On
thecamera’sLCD,zoominona starinoneofyourphotosand
checkhowsharpit is.Experimentwiththefocusdial,anda few
laborioustestshotslateryoushouldhaveit (markit onyourlens
witha stickersoyoucangostraightbacktoit nexttime).
Withallthatdoneyoucanconcentrateonwhat’sreallyimportant;
composition.Starsalonewillnotproduceaneye-catching
photograph,andthe‘ruleofthirds’applies;alwaysputsomething
interestingintheforeground,ideallyaroundtenmetresaway.INTERVALOMETER
Anintervalometer
attachestoa cameraand
controlshowmanyshots
aretaken,howoften,and
forhowlong.It effectively
makesyourcamera
completelyautonomous,
whichis handywhen
takingmultiplelong-
exposureshots.2
REMOTE SHUTTER
RELEASE CABLE
Any movement during a
long exposure introduces
blur, and that includes the
vibrations from depressing
the shutter button. So set a
shutter delay of ten seconds,
or use a wired remote
shutter release cable to keep
your camera perfectly still.
LARGE-CAPACITY
SD CARD
Always shoot in RAW.
RAW image files contain
minimally processed data
from the image sensor.
However, they are also much
larger in size, so a larger SD
card is helpful, especially for
star trails, meteor showers
and long trips.10 STEPS TO AWESOME ASTRO SHOTS